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(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 1.

A. EPPLER, Jr.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. EPPLER, Jr.

MACHINE FOR SETTING BUTTONS. No. 256,659. Patented Apr. 18, 1882.

Users TATES PATENT Farce.

ANDRE? EPPLER, JR, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DAVIDVVHITTEMORE, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR SETTING BUTTONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 256,659, dated April18, 1882.

Application filed January 9, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW EPPLER, J13, of Quincy, in the county ofNorfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvementsin Machines for Setting Tubular- Shanked Buttons, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates chiefly to machines for upsetting the tubularshanks of certain kindsof buttons, and thus securing them to the articleor material on which they are to be used; and it has for its objectmainly to provide improved means for feeding the buttons from a roadwayor guide to the setter or device for upsetting the tubular shanks.

The invention also has for its object to provide improved means foroperating the setter and the feeding device. To these ends the inventionconsists in the improved i'eed mechan- 2o ism and operating deviceswhich I will now proceed to describe and claim;

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification,Figure1 represents a front elevation of amaehineembodyingmyinvention. Fig,2representsaside elevationofthe same.Fig.3representsaplan view. Fig trepresents an elevation of the oppositeside. Fig. 4. represents a section on line 2-2, Fig. 4. Fig. 5represents an enlarged plan view of the 0 feeding device and the lowerend of the roadway or guide. Fig. 5 represents a similar view with thefeeding device in a different position. Fig. 6 represents a section onlineman, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents a bottom plan view of the mechanismfor operating the feed device. Fig. 8 represents a sectionon line y 3/,

Fig. 6. Figs. 9 and 10 represent different stages of the operation ofsecuring abutton to the article on which it belongs.

The same letters of reference indicatethe same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, A represents the button on which my invention isintended to operate, the'same being the kind used chiefly on gloves,

and having an enlarged head, and a tubular- V shouldered shank, the endof which is thin and adapted to be turned outwardly or upset like aneyelet. The article to receive the buttonis first provided with anordinary eyelet,

B, (see Figs. 9 and 10,) which serves as'a bushing for the button, theshank of thebutton (No model.)

being inserted in the eyelet, as shown in Fig. 9, and then upset thereonby a setter, G, as shown in Fig. 10.

The setter is supported in the end of alever, 5 D, which is pivoted at Eto the supportingframe F of the machine, and is oscillated by suitablemeans to alternately raise and lower the setter.

G represents a reservoir for thebuttons, and H an inclined roadwayleading therefrom.

I represents a disk or plate located partially under the setter, andattached to a vertical spindle, J, which is adapted to rotate in abearing in the .frame F. The plate I is provided with a series of radialrecesses or pockets, K, each of which is of sufficient size to receivethe shank of one of the buttons A. Under the plate I is a bed orsurface, L, to support the heads of the buttons A, and separated fromthe plate I by a space of sufficient width to allow the heads of thebuttons to be inserted between the bed and plate.

The spindle J is provided with mechani m whereby it is rotated step bystep, and each step or rotation is of snfficientlength to move a recessor pocket K of the plate I from the lower end of the roadway H to apoint under the setter G. The mechanism employed in the present instancefor rotating the spindle and '80 plate is composed of a ratchet, M,rigidly at tached to the lower end of the spindle, a segmetal pinion, N,jonrnaled to rotate-loosely on said spindle, and having an arm, 0, towhich is pivoted a pawl, P, engaging with the teeth of said ratchet, anda reciprocating rack, Q, sliding in a fixed guide, R, and engaging wit-hthe teeth of the pinion N. The rack Q is connected by a rod, S, with athree-armed lever,

T, pivoted to the frame F, and is reeiprocated 0 by the oscillation ofsaid lever on its pivot. The lever T is provided on one of its arms witha curved groove, U, which receives a stud or friction-roller, V, on therear end of the carrying-lever I). The third arm of the lever T is 5connected with a treadle or other device by which said lever isoscillated. The setter and the feed-plate are therefore both operated bythe lever T.

a represents a thin metal plate, attached at I00 its lower end to theframe F, and having on its upper end a lip, b, projecting inwardly overthe bed L, and occupying such a position that it will force the buttonsA into their proper place as they come under the setter, as hereinafterdescribed.

One side of the lower end of the roadway H is composed of a movablesection, 0, formed on a pivoted lever, 07, and provided with an edge, 2,which forms the termination of one side of the roadway, and a concaveedge, 3, which, when the section 0 is in its normal position,is aboutparallel with the adjacent edge of the plate I, as shown in Fig. 5. Aspring, 0, normally holds the section 0 in the position shown in Fig. 5,and permits it to yield, as shown in Fig. 5".

The operation is as follows: The setter being raised, as shown in fulllines in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, the feed-plate is held so that one of itsrecesses or pockets will receive a button from the roadway H, as shownin Fig. 5. The lever 1) is then turned on its pivot to the positionshown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, thereby forcing the setter downwardlyinto the shank of the button held under it, upsetting said shank in theeyeleted material, as shown in Fig. 10. The leverD is then turned to theposition shown in full lines in Figs. 1, 2, and

4, thereby raising the setter and at the same timetmoving the rack Q inthe direction indicated by the arrow in Figs. 2 and 8. The rack is thuscaused to rotate the pinion N and cause the pawl P, pivoted to the armof said pinion, to engage with the ratchet M and retate the latter adistance equal to the length of one tooth, thereby giving the feed-platea sufficient rotation to simultaneously bring to the front the recess orpocket containing the button last secured, so that the button can heremoved, move the pocket which last received a button from the roadwayinto position under the setter, and move another pocket into position toreceive a button from the roadway. This movement of the feed-platecommences after the setter has been partially raised and removed fromthe shank of the button last inserted, so that said finger will notprevent the rotation of the plate, and terminates while the setter israised toits full height.

In case the button sliding into the pocket of the feed-plate from theroadway does not reach the inner end of said pocket, as shown in Fig.8,the spring-lip b bears. against the button when the latter is broughtunder the setter and pushes it properly into the pocket of thefeed-plate, so that its tubular shank will coincide with the finger ofthe setter.

In case a button only part-lyent-ers the pocket of the feed-plate andremains partly in the roadway, the yielding section 0 of the roadwayyields when the feed-plate is rotated, as shown in Fig. 5", thereby,first, preventing the shank of the button from being crushed by themovement of the feed-plate, and, secondly, when the button reaches theconcave edge of said section forcing the button into the pocket, allwithout injury to the button.

The arm f, carrying the pawl g, that rotates the agitator of theeyelet-box, is oscillated by a connection with the reciprocating rod S,as shown in Fig. 2.

I do not limit myself to the use of the rotary feeding device for movingbuttons from the roadway to the setter, said device being capabio ofholding and moving lacing-hooks, as shown in my application forLettersPatent for machine for setting lacing-hooks, filed January 31, 1882.

I claim- 1. In a machine for securingbuttons or other equivalentfastening devices having tubular shanks, the combination of a guide orroadway, a rising and falling'setter, a feeding and supporting devicelocatedundcr the setter, and provided with pockets, each adapted toreceive afasteningdevice from the roadway, and mechanism for rotatingsaid feeding device step by step, the location ofthe feeding andsupporting device under the setter adapting it to support each fasteningdevice during the action of the setter, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the rotary feedplate havingbutton-receivingpockets or recesses, of the roadway or guide having ayielding end or section adapted to yield to prevent injury to buttonspartially inserted in the pockets of the feed-plate, and to force suchbuttons into the pockets, as set forth.

3. The combination of the rotary feed-plate having pockets or recessesand a spring-lip, 1), adapted to hold each button in place under thesetter, as set forth.

4. As a means for rotating the feed-plate step by step, thereciprocating rack Q,the pinion N, journaled loosely in the spindle ofthe fced-plate, and provided with an arm, 0, having a pawl, P, and aratchet, M, rigidly attached to the spindle of the feed-plate andretated intermittently by the pawl P,as set forth.

5. -Ihe pivoted lever D, supporting at one end the setter, and providedat the other end with a stud or roller, V, combined with the pivotedlever '1, having the cam-groove U, with which said stud is engaged, asset forth.

6. The combination of the setter, its supporting-lever D, the pivotedoperating-lever T, having a cam-groove engaged with a stud on the lever,the rotary feed-plate I, the rack Q, rotating said feed-plate throughintermediate mechanism, and a rod, S, connecting the rack with an arm ofthe lever T, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 30th day of December, A. D.1881.

ANDREW EPPLER, JR. Witnesses:

O. F. BROWN, A. L. WHITE.

